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Mary's fail to halt the holders

Colleges Hurling/St Kieran's 2-17 St Mary's 0-10A succession of points - including a long-range missile from St Kieran's corner…

Wed Feb 11 2004 - 00:00

Colleges Hurling/St Kieran's 2-17 St Mary's 0-10A succession of points - including a long-range missile from St Kieran's corner back Neal Prendergast - two opportunist goals and general all-round efficiency were the features of the Kilkenny side's comfortable victory over St Mary's, Enniscorthy, in the Leinster Colleges hurling A quarter-final at Carlow yesterday.

The reigning All-Ireland champions fielded five of the class of 2003 and three of the Kilkenny All-Ireland winning minor side, but were without Maurice Nolan, who will line out for O'Loughlin's in the club hurling championship semi-final at Semple Stadium on Sunday.

Enniscorthy CBS began brightly and were 0-3 to 0-1 to the good after six minutes, Nicky Kirwan converted two frees, while Anthony Storey - son of former Wexford hurler Martin - landed a tidy score from play.

St Kieran's hit back and Kevin Lanigan ghosted inside the St Mary's defence to rattle the net from close range in the 10th minute. And, come half-time, St Kieran's - despite playing into a wind - were 1-10 to 0-7 ahead.

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After the break Kirwan, of Oulart-the-Ballagh, popped over another free, but St Kieran's had eased 1-15 to 0-9 clear by the time the game entered the last quarter during which corner back Neal Prendergast - son of former Kilkenny corner back Paddy - scored that mammoth point from distance.

Richie Hogan raced through to shoot the second goal two minutes from time.

St Kieran's will next face either Dublin Colleges or Castlecomer CS in the semi-final.

ST KIERAN'S: P Hogan; W Norton, D Cody, N Prendergast (0-1); P Butler, S Prendergast, J Walsh; D O'Neill (0-2), D Bergin (0-2); J Quane, P Walsh, K Lanigan (1-1); R Hogan (1-2), R Power (0-7, five frees, two 65s), M Bergin (0-1). Subs: N Fennelly for P Walsh; D Kelly for O'Neill; P Treacy for J Walsh; J Dermody for Hogan.

ST MARY'S: N Maher; P O'Neill, D Doyle, B O'Loughlin; C Hargaden, B Kenny, B Kehoe; J Doyle (0-1), F O'Gorman; N Kirwan (0-7, five frees, one 65), B Murphy, P O'Sullivan; A Storey (0-1), H Kehoe, D Murphy (0-1). Subs: G Synott for Storey; L Murphy for O'Sullivan.

Referee: P Cassin (Carlow).